Six Nations 2013: Wales conned their way to victory against Scotland, claims Scott Johnson

Scotland head coach Scott Johnson believes Wales pulled a fast one on referee
Craig Joubert in last Saturday’s Six Nations match at Murrayfield,
effectively duping the South African official into awarding them a stream of
penalties on their way to a 28-18 victory over the Scots.

Many of the Wales penalties were won at the scrum, where Scotland were penalised many times for early engagement. Of the 12 scrums that took place, only three served the purpose of restarting open play, and Johnson has suggested that the Welsh forwards deliberately tricked the referee into thinking that the Scottish pack was the cause of most of the problems.

“We were frustrated by the fact we got conned,” said Johnson. “We warned everyone that some teams, as you can see from press conferences after games where they clearly acknowledge it, do these things.

“I don’t want to be a coach who tells his players to start diving like soccer players. I don’t want to do that. I want to tell them we’re not good enough, and if we’re not good enough then we’re not good enough. I don’t want to start chasing rainbows by telling them to cheat. I won’t do that.”

Johnson revealed that he had had a long discussion with Joubert on the issue on Saturday evening. “It was a good conversation,” said the coach. “I let my concerns be known to him. He took them on board an we’ve been in touch by email.”

Asked if Joubert had admitted to making any mistakes, Johnson refused to elaborate. “I’d rather not go into that,” he replied. “Let’s just say that there are private conversations that go on.”

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It is also understood that Johnson has been in communication with International Rugby Board officials in Dublin on the matter, although an IRB spokesman would not confirm whether the discussions extended beyond the feedback protocols that exist for every Test match.

A number of former Scotland players have accused Johnson’s players of being naive in the way they dealt with Saturday’s scrum scenario, but the coach was unapologetic. “People are trying to find ways to con refs,” he said. “That’s not the right thing to do for this team. If other teams want to do that, let them go and do it.”

Johnson made his remarks after announcing two changes to his team to play France in Paris on Saturday. Uncapped Edinburgh lock Grant Gilchrist takes over in the second row from the injured Richie Gray, while Al Strokosch has been preferred to Rob Harley at blindside flanker.

Gilchrist, 22, was an unused replacement when Scotland suffered their humiliating loss to Tonga in Aberdeen last November. He may well have come into the frame earlier in the championship, but an injury picked up in Edinburgh’s final Heineken Cup match, against Saracens, meant he could not train with the national squad ahead of the England match, and he subsequently damaged an ankle in a club match against Cardiff Blues.

“It was bad timing, more than anything,” Gilchrist explained. “But Scott was always positive about the way I was playing and the way I was training. He told me to keep going and keep being physical and aggressive when I played. He liked those qualities in me and he said he saw me having a role doing that in the team.”

He added: “It’s a massive opportunity for me, something I have dreamt of since I was a kid, to play for Scotland. I just can’t wait to get on with Saturday night.

“Richie is a world-class player but I don’t really feel any extra pressure because it’s his place I have taken.

“I do feel pressure to perform for my country and that wouldn’t change, no matter who I was coming in for. It’s a massive job and one I’m really looking forward to.

“It’s brilliant that Scott is willing to show faith in us young guys – but it is up to us now to deliver.”

Gilchrist has been picked ahead of Al Kellock, the veteran Glasgow lock who has 51 caps to his name. Johnson explained that he had one eye on the future in making his choice, suggesting that Kellock, who will be 34 by the time of the 2015 World Cup, is unlikely to still be in contention for that tournament.

However, he also hinted that Kellock might have been given the nod against France had anything been riding on the result.

Strokosch was in the Scotland starting line-up against England on the Six Nations opening weekend last month, but retired with an eye socket injury early in the first half. Harley was seen to have done well in his place, but Scotland’s ineffective performance at the breakdown against Wales appears to have swung things in Strokosch’s favour again.

It is also significant that Strokosch, who joined Perpignan from Gloucester last summer, has intimate knowledge of the French pack, and the Toulouse flankers Thierry Dusautoir and Yannick Nyanga in particular.

Strokosch said: “I’ve played against them a few times. They’re a good blend of size and athleticism. It’s going to be difficult as they have the dynamism and bulk to carry over the gain line. We’ll need to be sharp.”